A Prayer for a Loved One Struggling with Illness - Your Daily Prayer - November 30

A Prayer for a Loved One Struggling with Illness
By Alicia Searl

Bible Reading
“Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. The Lord protects and preserves them— they are counted among the blessed in the land— he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.” - Psalm 41:1-3

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My parents celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary three months before my mom was called to her eternal home. While fifty years sounds like a lot (and it is,) they got married rather young, so she still had so much life to live, in my opinion. Quite honestly, I really wanted her to witness my daughters graduate and see them get married. Better yet, I wanted her to watch me become a grandmother because she was such a good one. My parents’ love story taught me so much, and I am forever grateful for their shining example, but something that really stood out for me was their faithfulness when sickness became intertwined in their marriage. Let’s just say they took that vow in their marriage very seriously. Whether it was chemo treatments for my dad or CT scans for my mom, they supported each other and prayed over one another; their love and dependence on God during these times of great suffering spoke volumes to me.

So, when sickness overcame one of our daughters in a vastly different form, my husband and I were forced to face the brutal realities of mental illness. I have often looked back on my parents’ utter reliance on God but have also found great comfort in the book of Psalms. In these poetic verses, we see that David was no stranger to pain or suffering and passionately pours out his heart as he wrestles with both a physical illness as well as the weight of his sinful sickness, therefore prompting him to cry out to God. I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times I have cried out to God from the depths of my wounded momma’s heart!

Maybe you are wading through a similar story, and you don’t see any sign of hope between a dreadful diagnosis or a lifelong illness that has been placed upon someone you deeply love. Oh, how I wish I had the right words to comfort your weary heart and bring peace to your restless soul. However, what I can say is that I do understand the constant questions that flood into your mind and the emotional strain it takes to always put on a brave face. Navigating all the immediate medical decisions, taking in three cups a day of terrible-tasting coffee, and sleepless nights can cause anyone to crumble.

All that to say, if you are falling apart emotionally, feeling overwhelmed, or succumbing to the weight of the physical demands of tending to an ill loved one, you don’t have to carry this burden alone. God sees your loved ones and knows of their illness. He also knows the pain you carry because He has felt it too (John 11:32-26), and He is asking you to come to Him. While it isn’t easy, or even natural, we must remain faithful. Clinging to our faith encourages us to trust God wholeheartedly, just as David did, therefore giving us the endurance and strength to care for and serve our loved ones. Allow God to help you and heal your loved one because He will. Hold on to that promise today!

Let’s Pray:

Jehovah Rapha, You are our ultimate caregiver, healer, and the Great Physician. We take great comfort in that. Today, I lift up my heavy heart and ask for Your divine healing over my loved one. You tell us in Your Word that nothing is beyond Your ability or resource (Ephesians 3:20), so I seek Your mighty hand today. Please place Your healing powers upon the body of my loved one, granting supreme peace, healing, and comfort. Allow a full recovery on this side of heaven, if possible, and grant us all the comfort of Your unfailing love in the process.
I ask all of this in Your Holy name, Jesus. Amen.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/gorodenkoff

Alicia Searl is a devotional author, blogger, and speaker that is passionate about pouring out her heart and pointing ladies of all ages back to Jesus. She has an education background and master’s in literacy.  Her favorite people call her Mom, which is why much of her time is spent cheering them on at a softball game or dance class. She is married to her heartthrob (a tall, spiky-haired blond) who can whip up a mean latte. She sips that goodness while writing her heart on a page while her puppy licks her feet. Visit her website at aliciasearl.com and connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.

Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.

Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith

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Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

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